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Zammo McGuire's Heroin Addiction
Zammo Maguire's Heroin Addiction was a storyline that started in Series 9 and ended in Series 10. The storyline focused on Zammo Maguire's addiction with heroin and how it affected his relationship with his friends and family. It is seen as one of Grange Hill's most controversial storylines. __FORCETOC__ Storyline History 'Background' Zammo Maguire is a Grange Hill student and had been embroiled in a love triangle between him, his girlfriend Jackie Wright who is a former Brookdale student and Banksie who is also a former Brookdale student. He had also lost two friends, Jeremy Irvine who drowned in the school swimming pool which Zammo witnessed and Jonah Jones who left Grange Hill to emigrate to Wales. Between his fourth and fifth year, Zammo finds himself using heroin. 'Series 9 (1986)' Zammo is now in his fifth year and has bought himself a motorbike, he also has fallen out with his girlfriend, Jackie. Mr Kennedy has a moustache-weighing competition where each student pays 25 pence for a guess on how much Mr Kennedy's moustache weighs and the winner gets the total which is £6, Zammo tries to cheat by weighing Mr Kennedy's moustache on the scale before-hand but Banksy blows on the moustache which changes the weight and Zammo is distraught at losing which Mr Kennedy notices and wonders why Zammo needs the money. Zammo argues with Jackie over him not wanting to go to the school disco, the fact that Jackie hasn't seen Zammo that much over the holiday and out side of class and that Zammo had sold a gift Jackie had given to him to another student. Later on, Zammo sells his motorbike to Kevin and he is confronted by Jackie wondering why Zammo was in need of money and she offers to give him £25 from her savings which he accepts and promises to pay her back. Zammo recieves the money for the motorbike from Kevin and is once again confronted by Jackie about the money she had lent him previously asking him to pay her back but Zammo claims he is broke and that he owes his mother money and that he is also saving up for a new bike and is looking to get a job but Jackie doesn't believe a word he says. 'Series 10 (1987)' Over the summer holiday, Zammo spent some time at Narcotics Anonymous. He returns to Grange Hill for his Lower 6th year. Due to circumstances in Zammo's fifth year where he is arrested. He has to re-take his O-Levels along with Fay Lucas. Behind the Scenes/Reception The storyline was very popular gaining Grange Hill a lot of media attention, mostly controversial. Even before Series 9 had started airing, there was a lot of controversy, The Daily Mirror reported the storyline on it's front page with teachers angry, fearing it would encourage copycat behaviour. The Head of the Children's BBC and Phil Redmond, creator of Grange Hill had defended the storyline. It also spawned a song called Just Say No whic h was reached top 10 in the UK charts. The cast of Grange Hill were invited to the White House by the First Lady of the United States at that time, Nancy Reagan who was responsible in the creation of "Just Say No", a anti-drug advertising campaign in the United States as part of "War on Drugs" which had become prevalent in 80's and 90's Category:Storylines